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31-year-old Dusty Ray Whisnant of Whisenant Road in Patterson was arrested Saturday (May 11) by Caldwell County Sheriff’s Officers. He’s charged with 11 counts of breaking and entering, five counts of larceny, and one count of larceny of a motor vehicle. Whisnant was placed in the Caldwell County Detention Center under a $50,000 secured bond. A Superior Court appearance was scheduled for July 22.

18-year-old Jaylaan Naji Cowans of 3rd Avenue N.W. in Hickory was arrested by Hickory Police early Saturday morning (May 11) on one felony count each of theft of a motor vehicle and possession of a stolen motor vehicle.

Events leading to Cowans' arrest began when Police responded to an address on Mosteller Estate Avenue S.E. in Hickory in reference to a stolen motor vehicle, a black 2014 Jeep Cherokee. At about 2:15 a.m. Saturday, Officers stopped the Jeep on Springs Road, near 22nd Street N.E. Cowans was taken into custody without incident.

He was processed at the Hickory Police Department and later released under a $10,000 unsecured bond. A first appearance in District Court was scheduled today (May 13) in Newton.

30-year-old Andrew Benson Jennings of Dallas Street in Lenoir was arrested by Hickory Police at about two o'clock Saturday afternoon (May 11) on a felony warrant for a probation violation, plus one misdemeanor count of concealment of merchandise.

Jennings was arrested after Police responded to a shoplifting incident at the Target store on Catawba Valley Boulevard S.E. in Hickory. Jennings was taken into custody without incident at the store.

The suspect is on probation as he serves a 36-month suspended sentence following a January 2019 felony conviction in Caldwell County for breaking & entering and larceny after breaking & entering.

Following his arrest, Jennings was jailed in the Catawba Co. Detention Facility under a $16,000 secured bond. An appearance in District Court was set for May 20 in Newton. A Superior Court date on the probation violation is coming up on June 3.

36-year-old John David Mecimore of Brookdale Place in Lenoir was arrested Officers Friday (May 10) by Caldwell County Sheriff’s. He’s charged with felony indecent liberties with a child. Mecimore was brought to the Caldwell County Detention Center where bond was set at $75,000, secured. A first appearance in District Court was scheduled today (May 13).

A young child drowned in Burke County. According to a news release from the Morganton Department of Public Safety, last Thursday (May 9) 2019 at 6:18 p.m., officers responded to a 911 call regarding a missing four year old male child. Authorities responded to 105 Redbud Drive which is part of the Council Oaks Development. They began to search in and around the residence.

The child’s mother, Victoria Howell, reported she had not seen the child in the residence for approximately 5-10 minutes when she began to look for him. She then searched the area for a short time before calling 911. When officers arrived at the development several people from the neighborhood were already searching the streets around the development.

Morganton Public Safety utilized the reverse 911 system to alert neighbors of the missing child and requested the assistance of Burke County Search and Rescue, On-duty NC Probation Officers and EMS to assist in the search. Officers were informed that the child had walked off before and usually walks toward Maplewood Drive which is about 200 feet from the residence.

Approximately 30 minutes after the initial call was received Sgt. Carswell of Morganton Public Safety located the child floating face down in a pool behind 304 Maplewood Drive. Officers began CPR and when EMS arrived the child was transported to CHS Morganton. EMS and hospital staff attempted to revive the child without success. The child was pronounced deceased at 7:52 p.m. The Morganton Criminal Investigations Division is continuing with the investigation.

34-year-old Priscilla Dawn Moody was added to the list of suspects wanted in Burke County. She's charged with felony first-degree burglary. Moody's last known address was 105 Lutz Avenue in Valdese. She was added to the most wanted list Friday (May 10).

21-year-old James Thomas Farr is also wanted by authorities in Burke County. He's charged with felony counts of larceny and possession of stolen property. Farr's last known address was 6270 Byrd Farm Road in Connelly Springs. He was also added to the list Friday.

26-year-old Wesley Eric Wright, Jr. was also recently added to the Burke County most wanted list. He's charged with probation violation ona prior felony count of obtaining property by false pretense. Wright's last known address is 4155 Whitener Drive in Hickory. He was added to the list May 3.

You can see the entire list of suspects wanted by authorities in Burke County at www.burkesheriff.org. If you have any information on any of the suspects on the list, call the Sheriff's Office at 828-438-5500. You can also e-mail information to admin@burkesheriff.org. If you'd like to submit an anonymous tip you can do so through Morganton-Burke Crime Stoppers, their number is 828-437-3333.

The North Carolina Department of the State Treasurer has received reports about a scam involving calls about financial aid offers.

According to a news release from the North Carolina Department of Justice, the calls are largely directed at retirees, but anyone may receive them. The scammers will call you and pretend to be calling from the Department of the State Treasurer. They’ll tell you that you were selected out of a list of many potential recipients to receive financial aid from the department and that you’ll need to share additional information to receive the money.

These scammers are also calling the same individuals multiple times using different phone numbers from different parts of the country. If you receive one of these calls, do not share any personal or financial information. You should never share personal data with someone unless you know the person you’re speaking to. Additionally, keep in mind that the Department of State Treasurer won’t call you to offer financial aid.

If you are contacted by such a scammer, hang up immediately and report it to the NCDOJ’s Consumer Protection Division by calling 1-877-5-NO-SCAM or by filing a complaint online.

Lincoln County Sheriff’s detectives are investigating a shooting incident Sunday (May 12) involving a one-year-old child and a three-year-old child.

Deputies were dispatched to a residence on Lightview Lane, Lincolnton, NC around 11:50 a.m. Sunday after the Lincoln County Communications Center received a report about a one-year-old child being shot.

Detectives say the child’s father was outside the residence yesterday morning smoking a cigarette and heard a loud pop. He rushed back inside the residence where he and his wife found the two children who were playing in the parent’s bedroom. The one year old child suffered a wound from a bullet that grazed the child’s head. It’s believed the bullet did not penetrate the skull.

A news release from the Lincoln County Sheriff's Office says while playing in the room the children apparently retrieved a .380 caliber handgun from a nightstand and a shot was fired. The one-year-old child was transported to Atrium Heath Care in Charlotte by Lincoln County EMS. The investigation into the incident is continuing.

The Burke County Sheriff’s Office is asking for the public’s assistance in locating 14-year-old Zachariah Shay Watts, who is a runaway.

He is 5’8” tall and weighs 250 pounds. Watts has brown, medium-length, curly hair and hazel eyes. He was wearing a dark-colored t-shirt, black pants with a green & red stripe down the side, and bright red tennis shoes.

Watts was last seen on May 3 walking away from a residence on Abee’s Grove Church Road in Valdese. He may still be in the Valdese or Hickory area.

Anyone with any information regarding the whereabouts of Zachariah Shay Watts should call the Sheriff’s Office at 828-438-5500 or Morganton/Burke Crime Stoppers at 828-437-3333. All Crime Stoppers tips are anonymous and could result in a cash reward.

Galyardt was arrested without incident after Officers responded to a call in reference to a larceny at a shopping center on Catawba Valley Boulevard S.E. in Hickory. Officers obtained information that a female, identified as Galyardt, was utilizing false barcodes to purchase items. Galyardt was taken into custody and was placed in the Catawba County Detention Facility under a $1,500 secured bond. A District Court appearance was scheduled today (May 10).

28-year-old Amber Jo Martinez of Spainhour Road in Morganton was arrested yesterday (May 9) by Hickory Police Officers on a felony warrant for obtaining property by false pretense. A misdemeanor warrant was also issued in reference to failing to return rental property.

On May 2, 2019, Officers responded to a call regarding a vehicle that was towed outside a business on Springs Road N.E. During the investigation, Officers found that Martinez had falsely presented herself as the owner of the vehicle and had the vehicle scrapped. Warrants for Martinez were issued and Martinez was arrested without incident. She was placed in the Catawba County Detention Facility with bond set at $7,000, secured. A District Court appearance was scheduled today (May 10).

28-year-old Yessenia Vanessa Dodero of Emmanuel Church Road in Conover was arrested yesterday (May 9) by Caldwell County Sheriff's Officers on two counts of assault on a government official. She’s also charged with resisting a public officer. Dodero was placed in the Caldwell County Detention Center under a $5,500 secured bond. A District Court appearance was scheduled for June 10.

33-year-old Mark Allan Andrews Jr. of Beach Road in Hudson was arrested by Caldwell County Sheriff's Officers yesterday (May 9). He's charged with single felony counts of larceny of a motor vehicle, possession of a stolen motor vehicle, and fleeing to elude arrest with a motor vehicle. Andrews was taken to the Caldwell County Detention Center with bond set at $25,000, secured. A District Court appearance was scheduled for May 30.

33-year-old Chasity Star Davis of Barlowe Place in Lenoir was arrested yesterday (May 9) by Probation and Parole Officers on one felony probation violation. Davis is on probation as she serves a 36-month suspended sentence following a January 2019 felony conviction in Caldwell County for breaking and entering. Davis was placed in the Caldwell County Detention Center under a $20,000 secured bond. A Superior Court appearance was scheduled for June 3.

41-year-old Carrie Elouise Collins-Ollis was arrested Thursday (May 9) by Morganton Public Safety Officers. She's charged with felony counts of possession of schedule II controlled substance and possession of a controlled substance in prison or jail along with a misdemeanor count of possession of drug paraphernalia. Collins-Ollis was arrested shortly after 1 a.m. Thursday at an address on Jamestown Road in Morganton. She was placed in jail under $20,500 secured bond. A District Court appearance was scheduled today (May 10).

52-year-old Edwin Jerry Hiatt II of White Street in Connelly Springs was arrested Thursday (May 9) by authorities in Burke County. The Burke County Police to Citizen Website says Hiatt is charged as a fugitive from justice. Multiple published reports say that Hiatt has been arrested in connection to the 1985 murder of Hollywood Director and Producer Barry Crane.

According to federal authorities, new evidence led them to Burke County. Hiatt was arrested at his place of employment in Rutherford College. According to the published reports, Hiatt was 18 years old when Crane was beaten and choked to death inside his home in Los Angeles.

Crane, who was 57-years-old when he died, was involved in television shows including "Dallas," "Chips," “The Six Million Dollar Man,” and "Mission: Impossible." His body was found wrapped naked in sheets in his garage in July 1985. The victim's wallet and vehicle were missing, nothing else was taken from his residence. Hiatt was taken into custody by the FBI and North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation. As of this morning (May 10) he was being held in jail in Burke County pending extradition back to California.

Governor Roy Cooper announced new appointees to twenty-eight boards and commissions Thursday (May 9). Becky Hailey Ferrell of Hickory is among the individuals appointed to the Executive Mansion Fund Incorporated Board of Directors. She has been appointed as a member at-large. Ferrell is retired from a career in non-profit management. She has led multiple non-profit boards of directors serving as board president of the Hickory Landmarks Society, Western Piedmont Symphony and The Harper School of Performing Arts.

26-year-old William Marshall Shook of Shook Road in Claremont was arrested Thursday (May 9) by Catawba County Sheriff's Officers. He's charged on an order for arrest from April 15. Shook is charged on a bill of indictment with felony possession of stolen goods. He was detained in the Catawba County Detention Facility under $7,500 bond. A Superior Court appearance was scheduled today (May 10).

The Catawba County Sheriff’s Office Narcotics Division assisted Lincoln County on a traffic stop, resulting in the seizure of more than 100 pounds of cocaine.

48-year-old Jason Evan Williams of Spring Street in Goldsboro was arrested by Lincoln County Sheriff's Officers. He's charged with felony counts of trafficking in cocaine by possession and transport, and maintaining a dwelling or vehicle for a controlled substance.

Narcotics Investigators and Lincoln County deputies stopped a vehicle on the Gastonia Highway Wednesday (May 8) for several traffic violations. Lincoln County K9 Anya alerted officers to the presence of narcotics in the vehicle. A search of the vehicle turned up cocaine weighing 117 pounds. The street value of the cocaine was estimated at $6.4 million and, according to a news release issued by the Catawba and Lincoln County Sheriff's Offices, is by far the largest drug bust ever in Lincoln County.

Williams was placed in the Harven A. Crouse Detention Center under a $2,000,000 secured bond. His next District Court appearance is scheduled for May 30. Agencies involved in the arrest, in addition to the Lincoln County and Catawba County Sheriff’s Offices, were the Huntersville, Cornelius and Pineville Police Departments.

News Arrest Disclaimer:The individuals depicted have been arrested but not convicted at the time of story postings. This information does not infer or imply guilt of any actions or activity other than their arrest. We make no warranty or guaranty as to the accuracy of this data.